The Denver Post •

CK Reporter of the WeekShannon Dunn, Parker

Whimsical, upbeat, and well done. “Last Christmas” is a good movie of holiday

spirit, romance, and sacrifice. Kate (Emilia Clarke) is a worker at a Christmas store

where she has to dress up as an elf. She has dreams of being a big-time singer and actress, but very little success.

To add to all of that, she has no permanent residence and pretty much her only option is to do the unthinkable: Move back in with her parents.

Her life is turned around completely when she meets Tom (Henry Golding).

Tom is a volunteer at a homeless shelter and just about the most care-free person ever, unless it comes to helping people or being a good person.

The comedy is this movie is spot-on. In parts, it is light humor, other times it’s a bit

darker, but it always very well done, thought-out, and balanced.

However, as I said, the humor can be dark, and many parts would probably not be appropriate for a younger audience.

“Last Christmas” is essentially a PG-13 Hallmark movie. There is alcohol use, sexual themes, and just a lot of things that aren’t great for kids.

But there was another major issue I had with it, which is that the twist ending just didn’t sit well.

It was kind of confusing, very disappointing, and that made me write off the entire movie.

Nonetheless, my Dad, whom I went with, said that he really liked the unexpected ending, so it could also just depend on the person.

I also wished that they elaborated on a few parts a

bit more, but they were still comprehensible. Overall though, this movie was warm and heartfelt. It does a good job of staying engaging throughout;

only twice or so in the middle did I get bored, and it didn’t seem to take the full hour and 43 minutes.

However, part of that I think was the repetition of a similar plot element happening numerous times.

For instance, Tom locks his phone in a cabinet claiming that it relieves stress. As a result, Kate has a hard time contacting Tom several times.

Some others include sniping between Kate’s boss and Kate, and general family issues for Kate.

While good at first, they got a little played out. However, a large part of the issues with her family is

to address another issue: the issue of discrimination, specifically against Yugoslavia, which is where Kate’s parents are from.

This is sprinkled throughout and makes the movie better for showcasing these problems and, very subtly, a solution.

All in all, this movie isn’t quite as good as my expectations, but it is still a good rom-com and Christmas movie, the characters are all easy to love, and it is overall enjoyable.

I have a hunch that people will still be watching “Last Christmas” next Christmas.

November 19, 2019

First-time author off to an excellent startIn “Fireborne,” by Rosaria Munda, seventeen year

old Lee and sixteen year old Annie are faced with a large number of challenges. The main problem is whether to choose the family

that you were born into or the one that you make. Can Lee choose the right side, or will he pick the

one that was behind a centuries-old, bloody, and oppressive regime?

The world of “Fireborne” is a land of famine, dragons, and serfs, and life there can be brutal.

Six-year-old Annie watched her family being burned alive, and eight-year-old Lee was forced to watch his family being tortured.

Lee and Annie, now both almost adults, are part of the elite group of dragonriders, and have risen through the ranks to the Fourth Order (the fourth best dragonriders).

The story follows Lee and Annie, as they compete to attain the rank of Firstrider, an honorary title in times of peace and that of High General in times of war.

The details in “Fireborne” are so realistic that they almost make a movie in your mind.

Munda is a phenomenal storyteller capable of making you empathize with the characters, so you can feel happy, or rage along with them.

From a love story and hate, to revelations that could break the Fourth Order, there is never a dull

moment in “Fireborne.”Munda’s debut in the world of authors is not to

be underestimated, though the book could have been a little less confusing if there had been a reference map so you could see where everything was.

I rate this book 9 out of 10 for an intriguing storyline and a comprehensible lineup of details.

“Fireborne,” by Rosaria Munda, is worth a read and ready for a sequel.

I recommend this book for ages 12 + because of some mature context.

Holiday film with a twist ending

By Thatcher Mulholland,13, a CK Reporter from Broomfield

By Carl Krim,11, a CK Reporter from Denver

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The humor can be dark, and many parts

would probably not be appropriate for

younger kids.

Munda is a phenomenal storyteller

capable of making you empathize with

the characters, so you can feel happy,

or rage along with them.

The Denver Post •

Your dog, regardless of its age, could be part of a program to study ways of helping dogs (and

maybe one day humans) live longer.The dogs in the study will stay home and live the

same way they always have. A small number of them will also take a pill that has given mice longer lives and has been proven safe for dogs.

Owners will report on how their dogs are doing, so that researchers at the Dog Aging Project can collect data on environmental, genetic and other factors that affect aging.

The Project is trying to sign up 10,000 dogs for a major study that is being paid for by the National

Institute on Aging.Dogs have many of the same problems in aging

as humans, like arthritis and failing eyesight, but, because their life spans are much shorter, it’s possible to study the way they age more easily than it would be using people.

The data gathered by the Dog Aging Project will not only be used in their research, but will be shared with other researchers in order to get the best use out of it.

If you’d like to sign up your best friend, the first step is to visit https://dogagingproject.org and fill out a brief questionnaire.

Volunteer dogs wanted for aging study

“Some Places More than Others” by Renée Watson is about a girl who, step by step, finds out about the hidden past within her family and connects with her history.

Twelve-year-old Amara wants to know more about her grandfather and family in New York.

She finds herself stuck on a school assignment called “The Suitcase Project.”

Since she doesn’t know much about her past, she wants to go to New York for her birthday with her dad, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to find out why her grandfather and her father have not spoken in twelve years.

She also seems to want to escape from all the emotion of her mother being pregnant. Instead of being excited, she is a little sad because she has heard that a baby is coming three times, but they’ve lost each one.

Because of that, she really doesn’t want to get attached to a baby who might never come. I thought that that added extra emotion to the book, and it seemed to affect her the entire time.

Amara luckily has a good, tightly bonded community, filled with people who love her.

I knew I would probably like this book right when it men-tioned the family drama, traveling, and, of course, New York. All the great storytelling, love and acceptance as Amara finds (and makes) her own truth made the book a great read.

It was amazing for her to finally see Harlem: “In Oregon, I only see stuff like this in museums when there’s a special exhibit up

that celebrates black history. But here -- right outside in the middle of the street -- there’s a reminder. I wonder if the people who live here ever stop to take it in. Do they

ever stand here, say a prayer of thanksgiving?” Renée Watson’s unique writing style shows throughout the book how much visiting

Harlem means to Amara. It helps her truly connect with her heritage, not just through

stories and photobooks.I enjoyed “Some Places More than Others.”Even though it was a little short for my taste, the detail and

drama as Amara finds her way makes this story very good. It did get better as she got to know her family and her

culture. The part that stuck out to me the most was her complicated

relationship with her cousins. I really liked that the author made a “nobody’s perfect” bit-

tersweet reunion when she meets her cousins, which defi-nitely was a good example of diversity.

Her cousins (or at least one of them) think that Amara is spoiled. They make fun of her straightened hair, the fact that her grandfather and dad treat her like a baby, and that her best friend is a boy.

The book was a little intense at some points, from family and fights, so I would recommend it for fourth grade and up. It might have some questionable parts for kids who are younger.

This book is good, beginning to end. I will look forward to more from Renée Watson!

Discovering herself by exploring her culture

By Sophia Levy,11, a CK Reporter from Denver

Seven score and 16 years ago this day, President Lincoln delivered a brief but well-written speech at the dedication of a national cemetery on recent battleground, so our answers this week will begin with “G” for “Gettysburg.”

1. Your grandfather’s brother is this relative to you.

2. Angela Merkel has been the leader of this nation since 2005.

3. The way a horse moves, such as a walk, trot, canter or gallop.

4. A type of ape that lives in the treetops and is known for its long arms, slender body and ability to swing through branches with surprising nimbleness.

5. Stew associated with Hungary, often made here with tomatoes, macaroni and beef.

6. Zeus, Aphrodite and Ares were all gods in this culture.

7. A town on I-25 between Larkspur and Monument, or the world’s largest island.

8. King Arthur’s wife

9. This sweet cracker was invented by a strict vegetarian diet reformer who would certainly not have approved of s’mores.

10. A very fast breed of dog, or a commercial bus company(answers on Page Three)

Rules: Every row across, every column down and each of the six smaller boxes must contain numerals 1,2,3,4,5 and 6, one time and one time only.

The solution to this week’s puzzle is on Page 3

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Big Nate

The Denver Post •

is produced by Denver Post Educational Services

Executive Editor: Dana Plewkadplewka@denverpost.com

CK Editor: Mike Petersoncoloradokidseditor@gmail.com

We welcome your comments.

For tools to extend the learning in this feature, look under “Youth Content” at:

www.ColoradoNIE.com

eEditions of the Post arefree of charge for classroom use.Contact us for information on all

our programs.

Denver Post Educational Services5990 Washington St.

Denver CO 80216(303) 954-3974(800) 336-7678

Stories without bylines were written by the editor.

(see Page Three)

10 right - Wow!

7 right - Great!

5 right - Good

3 right - See you next time!

1. Great Uncle 2. Germany 3. gait 4. gibbon 5. goulash 6. Greece (or Greek) 7. Greenland 8. Guenivere 9.Graham cracker

10. greyhound

Hot Links to Cool Sites!

NASA’s Space Placehttp://tinyurl.com/ckspace

NIE Special Reporthttp://tinyurl.com/ckniereport

Headline Geographyhttp://tinyurl.com/ckgeography

Pulse of the Planethttp://tinyurl.com/ckpulseplanet

How to become a CK Reporter!http://tinyurl.com/COkidsReporter

To read the sources for these storiesThe Dog Aging Project

Teen Suicide Essay Contest

go to http://www.tinyurl.com/ckstorylinks

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“The Science Behind Pixar,” at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, explores the science, technology, engineering, art, and math concepts used at Pixar Animation Studios every day to bring their beloved films and characters to life.

Each section in The Science Behind Pixar focuses on a step in the filmmaking process—mod-eling, rigging, surfaces, sets and cameras, animation, simulation, lighting, and rendering—de-livering an unparalleled view of the production pipeline used by the Pixar artists and computer scientists.

Guests will enjoy more than 50 interactive elements, hear first-hand from the studio’s pro-duction teams in video profiles, and come face-to-face with re-creations of popular characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode, and WALL•E.

You can build a robot inspired by the ones in WALL•E, discover how a bug’s-eye view was achieved for A Bug’s Life, through camera angles and large-set design within the computer, cre-ate a virtual 3D shape and play it in a 360-degree view and even try your hand at stop-motion animation of a jumping lamp, like the one in Pixar’s iconic logo, and watch a short film of what you produced.

The exhibition is popular enough that timed tickets are required. For more information, visit the exhibit’s website at https://www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/the-science-behind-pixar/

Friday, November 22Opening night for the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities’ production of “A Christ-

mas Carol, the Musical,” which will run through December 22. For tickets and scheduling information, go to https://arvadacenter.org/a-christmas-carol-the-musical-2019

Friday, November 22“Frozen II” opens at area movie theaters. Watch for our review in Colorado Kids!

Thanksgiving Break, November 25-27The Denver Art Museum will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but otherwise celebrates the

break with Create-n-Takes, the Paint Studio and First Light Family Space available daily. On Saturday and Sunday, stop by to see weekend artist demonstrations from noon to 3 p.m. in the studio. All break week activities are included in general admission, which is free for kids 18 and younger.

Friday, November 29Blossoms of Light opens at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The Gardens’ signature event

for over three decades, this annual holiday lights extravaganza transforms the York Street location into a twinkling winter wonderland. New features include a 360-degree immersive light experience, along with favorites. Runs through Jan 3, tickets required. For details, go to https://www.botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/blossoms-light

Saturday, November 30Opening night of Colorado Ballet’s 59th annual production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nut-

cracker,” with 26 performances through December 29 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, with live music featuring the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. For schedule information and ticketing, visit https://www.coloradoballet.org/

Saturday, November 30Deadline for the Denver Post’s essay contest on teen suicide. See yellow source box at left

for link to details.

Saturday, December 7The Racing of the Santas in Breckinridge, which is exactly what it sounds like: A footrace

by people dressed as Santa. You can sign up to be one of them, or simply go there to see that event and several other jolly ways to kick off the holiday season, including additional races and the lighting of the village. Details at https://www.gobreck.com/event/lighting-breckenridge-race-santas/

Hidden TreasuresThings we think you wouldn’t want to miss.

CK Calendar

How Pixar makes its magic